Pub. 57 2016-2017 Issue 1

7 FALL 2016 really. However, I don’t need anything but the knowledge of winning to motivate. However, everyone had their kettles professionally painted and I was the only one who spent eight hours painting my homemade kettle while VALERO had an electric Choo Choo train going around the top of theirs. That’s when I knew… I had to be the “Little Kettle that Could.” That year I won with $2,000… The next year was closer to $4,500 if I can recall accurately, and of course the third year I brought home the win as well. Then Brighton School for kids with disabilities asked me to run for Queen of the Vine. The winner is crowned queen and attends all of the Fiesta events representing Brighton. I told them I was good for about $14,000. Well, with the help of so many others, I somehow managed $77,000 and won. After that, it seemed like organizations who needed help fell into my lap at the right place, right time. My grandmother was diagnosed with ALS and was in ICU (a year before the ice bucket chal- lenge) and she said I should walk for ALS… ‘SIGNME UP YESTERDAY,’ I said. I raised over $40,000 for the walk and won the most raised by an individual, and was granted the honor of cutting the ribbon at the ALS walk in front of my grandmother, for my grandmother. Year after year things just kept coming.…Boys andGirls Club, VIVASWIM(free swimming lessons for kids), House our Heroes (we supplied 77 beds for veterans that were just placed in apartments), and most recently the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, this year for which I couldn’t believe I was awardedWoman of the Year for raising the most money in San Antonio—over $234,000. I was asked several years ago to run for LLS MWOY, but what really sent it home was a moment on Facebook that I didn’t expect. I posted a picture of my young daughter and  APRIL ANCIRA — CONTINUED ON PAGE 8